Taylor Swift Got Her Happy Ending. It May Have Killed Her Music.

Last week, Taylor Swift released four brand-new songs—and the public immediately panned them. What happened to the world’s biggest pop star, and what are we to make of her latest pivot? This week on Second Thought, Swift expert Matthew Jordan sits down with Suzy Weiss and Dan Ahdoot to break down all you need to know about The Life of a Showgirl: Encore Edition, and what the response reveals about her fandom. Then, Suzy and Dan move on to another groundbreaking pivot in popular culture—this time from Sydney Sweeney, who may soon be converting to Judaism. Suzy explains why the bodacious actress would make a fine Jew, and why her conversion would mark the tribe’s greatest acquisition since Ruth. Plus: a rogue Waymo hits the farmers market. Barbie’s big-nose scandal. And a dose of tough love for the mask-wearing lesbians in Massachusetts. 0:00 Introduction 1:47 Taylor Swift breakdown 24:05 Autonomous vehicles 28:54 Sydney Sweeney and Barbie 34:48 Self-governing communities 38:12 The Last Ditch bar controversy 42:40 Pop star legacy